Operation Al-Aqsa Storm; Response to Israeli crimes

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, on Tuesday referred to Operation Al-Aqsa Storm and called it a “devastating earthquake” for the Zionist regime. In explaining the cause of the operation, he said: ”The cause of this destructive storm was the continuous brutality and ferocity of the fake occupying regime against the Palestinian nation.

This regime cannot conceal its monstrous and devious face in the attack on Gaza and the massacre of Gazans through the act of lying or by playing the victim. By speaking nonsense, it cannot attribute the bravery of the Palestinian youth and their intelligent plans to non-Palestinians.”

Israeli authorities and media are looking to oppress and accuse the Palestinian Mujahideen of starting the war. In relation to the intensification of the Zionist regime’s crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people in recent months, which caused the resistance groups to react, the following points are noteworthy.

1. After the re-emergence of Benjamin Netanyahu as the prime minister of Israel, considering his history of crimes against the Palestinian people, it was expected that extreme views, especially regarding the continuation of the construction of Zionist settlements, as well as the desecration of Holy Quds, would intensify anger and dissatisfaction among Palestinian Muslims and draw out the reaction of the resistance groups. During his previous term as prime minister and during the presidency of Donald Trump, Netanyahu was the main factor behind the extreme decisions of the White House, including the transfer of the American embassy to al-Quds and the plan for the so-called deal of the century. Of course, the failure of this plan and the avoidance of the countries of the world to move their embassy to al-Quds exposes Israel’s defeats. Netanyahu’s insulting and provocative actions in his new term as prime minister also included the entry of Ben Guer, the so-called minister of internal security of the occupying regime, into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and desecration of this holy place. The move was met with the widespread anger of the Palestinian people and the Muslims of the world. One of the main reasons for Netanyahu’s extreme actions in putting pressure on the Palestinian people was the deviation of public opinion from Israel’s internal problems, especially in the economic field and his financial corruption case. Netanyahu’s extreme action caused the United Nations General Assembly to ask for the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in The Hague about the nature of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian land. In this vote, Muslim countries and even Arabs who entered the normalization process with Tel Aviv voted in favor of Palestine.

2. Israel’s next crime in recent months was when a wanton attack was launched on the Jenin refugee camp, which was recognized as a clear example of the “new war crime”. The Palestinian refugee camp is located in the city of Jenin in the north of the West Bank and was established in 1953 to accommodate Palestinians who fled or were driven from their homes during and after the 1948 Palestinian War. The camp has a high population density, and refugees live there in harsh conditions due to the restrictions imposed by Israel. These attacks continued for more than 18 hours by air and ground and with the presence of more than one thousand Zionist soldiers against defenseless refugees. The crimes of the occupying regime in Jenin, in addition to the eruption of the anger of the Palestinian people and the Muslims of the world, faced international reactions to such an extent that Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, expressed his deep concern about the military operations in Jenin and demanded full respect for human rights in military operations. The spokesperson of Mr. Guterres, in response to the Israeli drone attacks on Jenin refugees, said that armed attacks in densely populated areas are not acceptable.

3. Attacks on journalists in the occupied West Bank, including the martyrdom of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, were among other crimes committed by the occupying regime in recent months, which were also condemned by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which called upon the Zionist regime to stop “systematic” attacks against Palestinian journalists. In this criminal process, Israeli soldiers prevented the publication of accurate information by besieging media groups, shooting journalists, and confiscating their equipment.

4. Netanyahu’s insistence on ignoring international standards and UN resolutions, by continuing to build settlements in the vicinity of Palestinian territories, was another reason for the anger of the Palestinian people against the fake Israeli regime and caused the anger of the Muslims of the world. According to the results of a survey in 15 Arab countries published by the Qatar Study Center, 84 percent of the participants expressed their opposition to the normalization of relations with Israel, while in some of these countries such as Algeria and Mauritania, the rate of opposition was 99%.

5. The imposition of age restrictions on the entry of worshipers to the al-Aqsa Mosque and the attack on Friday prayers in this mosque, the continuation of scattered attacks on the people of Gaza, the destruction of houses, attacks on civilians, especially women and children, and similar cases are the main reasons for the increase in people’s anger and demands from the group. The resistance was expected to react against these atrocities. The people of Gaza and the resistance groups had no other option but to plan for lightning and paralyzing operations against the criminal regime, and that is why the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution addressed the oppressors of the occupying regime in his statements. He said:

“O Zionist oppressors! You are to blame; You are the cause of this storm; You brought the disaster on yourself. A nation has no choice but to react zealously and courageously in front of such an enemy.”

Undoubtedly, the victorious and unprecedented operation of the Palestinian Mujahideen under the title “Al-Aqsa Storm” was in defense of their undeniable rights and is a logical reaction to the repeated crimes of the Zionists. This operation also negates the futile act of normalization.